Tag holder



April 4, 1939. REARIC 2,153,273

TAG HOLDER Filed Dec. 14, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l N. F. REARIC T-AG HOLDER April 4, 1939.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 14, 1938 EGE/C,

Noemmv F. "Wf

Patented Apr. 4, 1939 UNITED TAG nonni'iiv Norman'F, Rso'ari'c';,Ellwood City, Pa., assignor to Nationar 'l ube Company,"- a corporation of New Jersey ApplicationDecember 14, 193a Serial-"No. 245,789

. Gl'aimsa This invention relates to an improved type of tag holder suitable: for securing tags to tubes,

pipes and the'like; The invention aims to provide means for carrying-tags containing specifica- 5 tions or other data pertaining to tubes; hollow forgings or similar cylindrical objects.

One object of the inventionis' t'o'provide'an improved tag'holder which-is'so formed that when the legs of the-holder are inserted in the-enact a tubular article they will exert a'firm'yet resilient grip at four points, each leg engaging two opposite walls of the tube.

A further object is to provide a tag positioning element which is effective to hold the tag in a predetermined position relative to the legs of the holder.

The above and other features of the invention will be fully apparent from the following disclosure, when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, illustrating the manner of threading a tag thereon;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view showing a further step of securing the tag;

Figure 5 is a plan similar to Figure 1 but showing the tag positioned by the device;

Figure 6 is a side elevation of Figure 5, showing the tag held in a predetermined position relative to the legs of the device; and

Figure '7 is a view similar to'Figure 5 but illustrating the condition of the device when the legs thereof are inserted in the end of a tubular article.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the device consists essentially of two main elements of which I0 is referred toas the tag holding element and I2 as the tag positioning element. The tag holding element includes two bowed legs having, respectively, outwardly bowed portions I4 and I6 and inwardly bowed portions I8 and 2D. The portions I4 and I6 are adapted to engage the interior of a tubular wall at opposite points, as shown in Figure '7. The inwardly curved bearing portions I8 and 20 are similarly adapted to engage the interior of the tube at diametrically opposite points. Intermediate the free extremities of the leg portions, the tag holding element is provided with a coiled spring portion 22 and also with a bridge portion 24 of the configuration clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2. The coiled spring portion thus constitutes a resilient connection between the oppositely bowed legs and provides means whereby the portions It, I6, is and an firmly-yet yieldingly engage th'epipe with a file-- tipn grip: The stiffness o-f'the'coiledspring, coupled withthefour point" engagement of the legs witi'r-theint'erior'ofthe pipe, is sufiicient to prel! vent the' tag holder'from, being inadvertently disicaged rrom the pipe, yet it can be readily'inserted andremoved. I I

The positioning element I2' includes a pair of armsfiiand'gdhaving respectiveeyes 30 and 32 1-0 which pivotally engage the'coiled spring portion. Spaced an appreciable distance from the eyes, the positioning element is coiled so as to provide a plurality of spring-like convolutions 34 which are closely wound so that a tag T may be posi- 1 tioned between them.

The device of my invention is adapted to hold conventional forms of tags which usually have a reinforced perforated eyelet t.

In the use of the device, the eyelet t is first threaded over one extremity of one of the legs, for example, as shown at the right in Figure 3. The tag is then moved to the left so that the eyelet portion t thereof passes to the coiled spring portion 22, whereupon it is supported by the eyelet on the bridge portion 24. The tag is thus primarily supported by the bridge portion. However, in order to hold the tag in a predetermined position with respect to the legs, the positioning element I2 is swung to the position of Figure 6, wherein certain convolutions 34 engage opposite faces of the tag and thus adequately hold it in a substantially fixed position with respect to the pipe. Thus movement or turning of the tag is prevented and it is held in convenient position for reading indicia thereon. The positioning ele-' ment I2, .in addition to its tag stabilizing function, also serves in a measure to protect the tag.

While I have described quite precisely the embodiment of the invention herein illustrated, it is to be understood that various modifications may be resorted to without departure from the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A tag holding device comprising oppositely disposed outwardly bowed legs, each having respective outwardly and inwardly curved bearing portions for engagement with inner opposite walls of a tube, a bridge portion forming a continuation of one of said legs, a spring portion connected therewith and forming a continuation of the other leg, and means pivotally mounted on said spring portion and provided with a tag engaging element eifective to hold in a. predeter- 55 mined position relative to said legs, a tag whose eye is pierced by said bridge portion.

2. A tag holding device comprising oppositely disposed outwardly bowed legs, each having respective outwardly and inwardly curved bearing portions for engagement with inner opposite walls of a tube, a bridge portion forming a continuation of one of said legs, a coiled spring portion connected therewith and forming a continuation of the other leg, and a member having an arm pivoted on said coiled spring portion and provided, at a point remote from such pivotal connection, with means for exerting a, yielding grip onopposite faces of a tag whose eye is pierced by said bridge portion.

3. A tag holding device comprising oppositely disposed outwardly bowed legs, each having respective outwardly and inwardly curved bearing portions for engagement with inner opposite walls of a tube, a bridge portion forming a continuation of one of said legs, a coiled spring portion located intermediate a bridge portion and the free ends of the bowed legs, a tag engaging element having an eye encircling a convolution of the spring portion and having a tag engaging portion spaced outwardly from said'eye a distance sufficient to locate said tag engaging portion beyond the bridge portion.

4. In combination with a tag having a perforated eye, tag holding means therefor comprising oppositely disposed outwardly bowed legs, each having respective outwardly and inwardly curved bearing portions for engagement with inner opposite walls of a tube, a bridge portion forming a continuation of one of said legs, the eye of the tag being pierced by said bridge portion, a spring portion intermediate the bridge portion and the extremities of said legs, and tag positioning means pivotally supported on the tag holding means and provided with a tag engaging element elfective to hold the tag in a predetermined substantially fixed position with relation to said tag holding means.

5. In combination with a tag having a perforated eye, holding means therefor comprising oppositely disposed outwardly bowed legs, each having respective outwardly and inwardly curved bearing portions for engagement with inner opposite wallsof a tube, a bridge portion forming a continuation of one of said legs, the eye of the tag being pierced by said bridge portion, a coiled spring portion formed intermediate the bridge portion and the free extremities of said legs, and a tag positioning element pivotally mounted on said coiled spring portion comprising a pair of arms with eyelets encircling the coiled spring portion and having spaced outwardly therefrom a plurality of coacting convolutions between which a tag is adapted to be engaged for yieldingly gripping the same and holding it in a predetermined relative position with respect to said legs.

NORMAN F. REARIC. 

